[boodi]

HI .
I stambled in a melos sha-1 in the sale board...
how do this pre-amp compare to others good reputation amp..?

is it a good choice for senn hd650 / some beyers ?

thanks for help

 

[Hirsch]

The Melos SHA-1 is a superb headphone amp. On its own, it's a bargain at current selling prices. It can also be modded (contact Head-Fi'er carlo) to bring it to an outstanding level of performance. It is very good with Sennheisers and Grados. I've heard it with Beyers, but I'm not a big fan of the Beyer signature sound.

 

[Dan the audioman]

I have heard the melos sha-1 with the following cans: senn 650/600 with many replacement cables, ety er4s, grado hp-2, beyer DT880

It sounded best with the 650's and the grado hp-2's. It is a great design as it is "hybird" (half tube, have solid state). With the 650's it provides a very full-bodied sound with a low and tight bass. With the grado hp-2's, it turns their otherwise analytical sound into "music."

This amp however, is not best suited for the beyers. The 650 and grado's are much better matched for it.

Regards,
Dan

 

[daycart1]

When I joined Head-Fi, the Melos was considered second to none under $1K. And in olden times, it was highly regarded as a preamp in the world at large.

 

[NeilPeart]

I love the modded Melos SHA-Gold - it sounded amazing with every Grado and Sennheiser headphone I tried. With some nice Mullards it will be an HP1000 owner's best friend - the two really were made for each other and it shows! The HP1000 can sound a tad analytical and un-musical at times (IMO), but it regains its sense of musicality and "fun" when paired with the SHA (undeniable synergy). The HD580/600 sounded full and lush with great dynamics and a slightly forward sound (which I really enjoyed). I wonder how the PS-1/SHAG combo sounds...

 

[aeberbach]

I have owned a couple of SHA-1 amps, now have a SHA Gold. All are fine pre- and headphone amplifiers even though not now in vogue around here. The only downside is that 6DJ8/6922/7308 tubes can be impossible to find as NOS and when you do the prices are insane, but new production from Tesla and others are OK.

If you buy one be sure it hasn't been modified or messed with unless you know and trust the modder. An accommodating seller might provide you with PCB pictures and an evaluation period.